Method of and means for producing and displaying changeable signs for advertising purposes



METHOD OF AND MEANS' FDR PRODUCING AND DISPLAYING CHANGEABLE $.[GNS FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES Filed May 2, 1929 Dec. 16,1930. A. E. TILB'URN 1,785,429

Patented Dec. 16 1930 I ALBERT IEDWARD TIL BURN', or MELBOURNE, vic'ronrn, AUSTRALIA METHOD or AND MEANS roe Application fi1edMay 2, 1929, Serial No.

This invention relates to the production and displaying of changeable luminous signs,

- announcements and the like foradvertising and other purposes, more particularly to the production and display'of signs of the type consisting of writings; drawings or thelike, wherein a normally transparent or trans lucent screen or sheet is coated on one sur face with an opaque substanceportions of which are subsequentlyprogressively re moved by'an artist or draftsman to'permit' light to pass therethrough and provide a luminous sign. I J i I I 1 One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved method whereby the production of suchsigns is simplified and -Whereby more attractive signs may be produced quicker and displayed 'more effective- 1y than hitherto.

The method of the "invention enables signs to be produced and displayed withbrilliant efiect in daylight or natural light as well as in darkness I A further advantage of the improved method is that it enables an artist or other I person to. make a representation or thesign upon the -screen or sheet by removing por-- tions of the opaque coating therefrom in an ordinary manner of wrltlng or drawing; that is to say that reverse writingor drawing is avoided. This simplifies operations-and enables artists 'to work faster" and 'tocreate' better signs'an'd also facilitates the'produc-v tion of signs by persons having no particular skill in writing or drawing.

The invention also contemplates means for carrying the method into efiect. 3

According to this invention a normally transparent or. translucent screen or sheet is arranged between a source of light and a refiector, and the surface of the screen remote from the reflector is coated with'some suitable opaque substancelorcompound which is removable with the aid of a'rubber pencil orpad, a stylographic pen or other suitable instrument. To produce and display a sign an artist or operatorprogressively removes any desired portions of the opaque coating in the ordinary manner of drawing or writing whereby light will pass through the ire- I In these drawings tion.

rnonucnvenivn DISPLAYING CHANGEABLE sta rs F envaarrsnverun o q I I 359,854, and in Australia May aisaa' sultant translucent portions of v the screen onto I the reflector. The result is that thedesired luminous sign will appear progressively upon said reflector 1n the samebrderas the wr tlng OI dITaWHIg on the screen and Will 'be-refiected clear of the screen.

The above andzother features and objects of the invention will, however be'more read-' ily appreciated from the following description andthe accompanying'drawings which illustrate diagrammatically certain embodiments of the invention.

Figure l represent's a constructional form F-igure 5' is an end view of amotor vehicle showing sign producing and displaying means incorporated therein.

Theembodiment illustrated in Figures 1 i and 2 includes a honsingior cabin 2 which may be-suitably supported at the top or at any other'desirable partof a building. The top 30f the cabinjmay have an opening 4 to admit daylight and may be closable by a door 6.; When artificially illuminated signs are to be displayed the door is closed and electric lamps 7 which may be. attached to the door or any other suitable part are switched on so as to direct light onto a normally tr'ansparentor translucent screen or-sheet 8 disposedwithin the cabin. The globes of the lamps may be corrugated or chased so that the light rays are difiused. V

5 This screen 8 which'may be composed of glass or any other suitablematerialyis preferably inclined slightly from the horizontal I and may be hinged-at its lower or front edge 9 and provided with means, such asslotted arcuate arms lland bolts or'screws '12 at its pper edge 13, whereby it may be .securely I held in any desired position. The upper sur-.

face of this screen iscoated with a suitable substance or composition torender it opaque. This opaque coating indicated at 10 may ad- "Vantageously consist of vegetable black and lamp black mixed with petroleum and glycerine to form a fluid of a consistencysuitable for applying to the screen with a brush pad or the like. 7

The undersurface of the screen is also preferably coloured to'improve the appearance of the signs. Any suitable paint, lacquer or colourmedium may be employed audit is thinned down so thatthe resultant coating indicated at 1 5 in Figure 3 will notimpede the passage of light. If desired before the colour medium is applied the undersurface of the screen may be ground, as .it has been found that thiscauses the colour-medium to adhere more tenaciously to the screen.

.In front of the loweredge ofjthe screen a gangway 142 and a platform-16 may be pro: vide'd for anartist-or draftsman who works on the screen as will bejhereinafter described.

The screen 8 in effect forms'the bottom of the'cabin and beneath the screen a mirror or reflector 17 is mounted preferably at an inclination to the screen. .Thereflector preferv ably converges upwardly towards the topfor rear edge-of the screen andhas its upperedge 1,8 disposed-.levelwi-th; or slightly beneath'the aforesaidv platform 16.]; If desired, the" re;

flector may be hingedat its upper edge so that its position may be adjusted according to the angleofrefiection which is desired.

To produce, and simultaneously display a sign or the like an artist or draftsmanprogressively removes appropriatefiportions of the; opaque coatinglO from the screen so that light, either natural or artificial according as 'torr whether the door 6, ofthe cabin is opened or closed, will pass through the resultant uncoat-ed portions of; the screen onto the reflector 17. lnthis manner the desired luminous sign, an example of which Jisjindicated at 19 in Figure 2, will appear progres sively upon the reflector and is thereby re- V fiecte'd clear of'the screenj8 .andthe lower 7 part of the cabin.

I It will be evident fromlthe'foregoing procedure and arrangement of parts the artist .may progressively form the representation ofthesign by; removing the opaque coating 10 from the screen n the ordinary manner of writing oLdrawing. This avoids the necessityforreverse writing or drawing as is required for, previously known methods, and consequently permits the .artist' to work quicker and-more confidently andcreate bettersignsr i The'complete sign maygbe displayed foras longor as short ajperiod-asmay be desired afterfwhich additional coating substance may be applied. to the screen .to render opaque preparator'yto the formatiomand display of another luminous i'sign. It. wallloe. under;-

- shining directly thereon.

j byemploying lamps with differently coloured globes controlled by appropriate switches.

In order to prevent any reflections or shad;

ow s of'the artist or operator'and the writing or draiiing instrument, and also any reflection of the opaque coatmg 8 from appearing on the reflector, without, of course, impeding the passage .of light through 'uncoated portions of the screen8, the un'dersurface of the latter maybe stippledso that when no sign is being displayed all that can be seen when looking at the reflectorwis a reflection of the stippled undersurface ofjthe screen. T he stippling indicated at QOimFigu res land 5 may be of anysuitablefcolour or tint but it so that the screenis readilyipenetrable by light from above. If the undersurface of the screen 8 is coloured then the stippling will be applied afterwards. Thecolour l5 and 'stippling 20, may remain permanently upon the screen,

In orderfurther-to attract attention to the luminous sign or the surface on which a sign is fo a pea-r, an; addit onal. s gnundlcated by the numeral 21- in Figure Q-Imay be displayed in an appropriate position, adjacent the first; or nain sign. This additional sign maybe of a;permanentnatnreand may be constituted by a painted or stencilled-sl eet Ifrdesired, however, itmay be produced in a manner similarto the, main sign. For in- V stance, an additional screen 8a maybepositionedin anjop'eiiing in the front-r-wall 22 of the cab n, the rear-or lnner surface having an "opaque coating-10a and the front surface being coloured and/or stippled' in a manner similar to the screen 8. A signer signs may be formeddirectlyand progress vely upon this additional screenbythe artist as will be understood, but in this case the writing or drawing actionswill-be inreverse. V

The additional-sign 21 may be illuminated artificially byielectriclamps 23 so arranged that the artist will not throw shadows upon the screen 8a, The additional sign could be employed to attract attention. ofobservers particularly during periods when the main sign 19 .is being changed; In such instances the 'illuminationforthe additional sign 21 coul Lbc Switched off during the formation and-display ofthe, main sign -519.; vA shade 24 may extend aboveand in front; ofthe additional signjto prevent natural light from Figure ill stra esapparatus according to he in eatioa mhediesl a. d ,ve

ispreferably white 'or relativelyj light in tone inc llU

l in the sides of the body above theopenings 34:

for street advertising. To display signs at each side of the vehicle a pair of screens 8 may be mounted to extend longitudinally within a'closed body 26 of the vehicle one at each side of the centre line. Suitable platforms 27 and gangways 28 are provided adjacent the sides of the body for the artists or each screen 8 and openings 34 are formed in thesides of the body inalignment'with the reflectors which may thus be viewed by the public. Additional screens may be provided to provide additional signs as before-mentioned.

Having now describedmy invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let; ters Patent is 1 1. A method of producing and displaymg luminous signs, announcemnets and thelike for advertising or other purposes, which consists in arranging a translucent sheet or screen between a source of 'lightand a reflector, coating that surface of the sheet which is remote from the reflector with an opaque substance, and progressively removing portions of the opaquecoating from saidscreen whereby light will pass through the resultant translucent portions of thescreenonto said reflector so that the desired luminous Sign appears progressively upon said reflectorand is thereby reflected clear of said screen. a

2. A method of producing and displaying luminous signsin accordance with claim 1, wherein the progressiveremoval of portions of the opaque coating from said sheet orscreen is effectedin the ordinary manner of writing or drawing.

3. A method according to claim 1 characterized by applying a colour medium to said screen, preparatory to the production and display of signs, for the purpose specified.

4. Aniethod in accordance with claim 1,,

characterized by treating a surface of said screen 1n such a. manner that 1t prevents the reflection of said opaque coating onto said re fiector but is penetrable'by light passing.

through portions of said screen from which the opaque coating has been removed.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1,

' characterized by treating a surface ofsaid screen in such a manner that it prevents the reflection of said opaque. coating onto said refiector but is penetrable by light passing through portions of saidfscreen from which 6. Amethod according to claim 1, characterized by applying a colour medium to the surface-of saldscreen which is not coated with opaque substance and then applying a semiopaque coating over said'colour medium, for the purpose specified. v i '7. A method of producing and displaying luminous signs under conditions of natural light which consists in arranging a translucent screen in such position that it receives natural light upon its upper surface, arranginga reflector i'n'f'spaced relationship beneath saidscreen'br sheet,the reflector being in- I clined or converging upwardlyv towards said screen, applying a-coating ofopaque suband progressively removing portions oflthe so stanceto the upperjsurface of-said'screen V opaque coating from the screen whereby light will pass through the resultant 'trans-" lucent portions of the screen onto said reflector with the result that the desired luminous sign will'appear progressively upon said of said screen;

8. Apparatus for producing and displaying luminous signs,- announcements and the like" for; advertising or otherv purposes, comreflector and will be thereby reflected clear prising a normally transparent or translucent screen,one surface of which is adapted to receive a coating ofop'aque substance capable of beingremoved therefrom by writing or drawing actions'of an operator, and a reflector arrangedin. spaced relationship from' said screen so that light passing through uncoated portions of said screen is reflected by the reflector clear of r the screen, the screen and: reflector being mounted soasto be ca-*' pable of relative adjustment.

9. :Apparatus for producing anddisplay ing lummous signs, announcements and the llkefor advert slngor other purposes, com-- prislng a normally transparent or translucent screen, one surface of which is adapted to receive a coatingof opaque substance capableof being removed therefrom by'writing or drawing actions of'an operator, and a re-1 fiectorarranged-in spaced relationship from said screen so that light passing through uncoated portions of said screen is reflected by the reflector clear of the screen, said screen being disposed within an operating cabin or compartment adaptedto be illuminated by natural or artificial light, the reflector being disposed beneath the screen. 7 v 10. Apparatus for producing anddisplaying luminous signs, announcements and-the like for advertising or other purposes, com: prising a normally transparent or translucent screen, one surface of which is adapted to receive a coatingof opaque substance capable of being removed therefrom by writing or the opaque coating has. been removed, said surface of the screennot coated with opaque substance being stippled'so as to render it semiopaque, for the purposespecified.

drawing actions of an operator, and a refiector arranged in spaced relationship from said screen so that light passing through un- 4 a ww the reflector clear ofthe screen, said screen being disposed within an operating compart- Y ment adapted to beilluminated by natural or e by artificial light, the reflector being disposed; beneath the s'creen said compartment: being provided with a platform upon-which an operator may stand and move while workingon the screens a r j Y ,7 7

11 Apparatus-for producing and displaym ing luminous signs, announcements and. the like for advertising or other purposes, comprising a normally transparent or translucent screen, one surface ofwhichis adapted to receive a coating of opaque substance capable of being removed therefrom I by 7 writing, or drawing actionsof an operator, and a reflector arranged in spaced relationship from said screen so that light passing -through uncoatedporti'ons of said screen is reflected by 7 2g thereflectorclear-0f the screen, said screen face,

and associated reflector being mounted with- 7 in a compartment in a body ofa road-vehicle; saidjbody' being formed with an opening in: its side aligned with saidreflecton- I V 25 ,12. In means for producing andfdisplaying luminous signs and the like, ,aunormallyi transparent screen havinga surface coated" withan opaque-substance along predetermined lines as required-inmaking up the sign, the reverse surface of the screen opposite the surface coatedwith ans-opaque substancebeing coated with-a material-to render'said opaque jcoatingsubstantially obscure when the screen is viewed from said reverse sur-- 13. Means according to; claim 12 characterized in that the reverse surface of said screen; is provided with a, semi transparent coat-' ing which adheres thereto, for; the purpose" specified, 3 '14:. Means according-to claim 12 character ized in that the reversesurface of'said screen I e is provided with a semi-transparent coating: which adheres thereto," and-wherein said-re- 45 verse surface is colouredbefore the stippling or semitransparent coatingis applied.

In testimony whereof I-aifix my signature;

V A. TILBURN. 

